C.J. Sansom畢業於博明翰大學、獲取瞭文學學士和曆史學博士學位。他曾從事過多種職業，最後還是決定學習做律師並在蘇塞剋斯從事律師業。至今他仍在那裏生活。

The events of DISSOLUTION take place in 1537, when Henry VIII’s Vicar-General, Thomas Cromwell, is beginning to intensify efforts to turn England into a Protestant state. The country is waking up to savage new laws, rigged trials and the greatest network of informers England has ever seen. Queen Anne Boleyn has been executed on questionable charges and everywhere courtiers and landowners are casting acquisitive eyes on the lands of the monks. is a lawyer, and a long-time supporter of Reform. He is also a hunchback, emotionally burdened but not embittered by his disability. Shardlake is beginning to have his doubts about how Reform is being achieved, and what are its true long-term aims, but these are doubts he must keep to himself and, to a degree, even hide from himself. Robin Singleton is summoned by Cromwell and sent to a Benedictine monastery perched next to the sea marshes on the coast of Sussex. He is to investigate the murder by decapitation of another of Cromwell’s men, Robin Singleton, who had been attempting to negotiate the surrender of the monastery. When Shardlake and his companion, Mark, arrive at the monastery the atmosphere is tense and behind a courteous front some of the monks are hostile and secretive…

評論：“精彩極瞭”----P.D. James “《土崩瓦解》真是部精彩、充滿想象力的傑作，一流的謀殺推小說是我這幾十年來讀過的最大氣的曆史長篇小說之一。”《星期日郵件》 “棒極瞭，是最精緻的一部曆史小說。----Peter Robinson “是我讀過最好的一部犯罪小說”Colin Dexter 中文簡介：《土崩瓦解》的故事是發生在1537，那時是亨利八世執政。當時的(英國國教)代理監督Thomas Cromwell正準備大刀闊斧對英國國教進行改革，想讓英國改成新教國傢。 整個英國逐漸意識到瞭新頒布法規的殘忍性、越來越多營私舞弊、有失公正的審判以及那個英國有史以來規模最大的告密者聯盟。Anne Boleyn女皇被絞死瞭，可指控的罪名卻站不住腳；全國各地 朝臣、地主們窺視著牧師們手裏的大片土地。Matthew Shardlake是位律師，他至始至終都是支持改革派的。他是個駝背 ，心理上是有沉重感的，但他並沒因此而自暴自棄。Shardlake 開始對改革派所取得的一切錶示質疑，他不明白改革派到底想要做齣什麼成績來，但這些疑慮他隻能隱藏在心理，甚至在某種程度上來說，他都不想讓他自己知道這一切。Cromwell把Shardlake召見來，派遣他至位於蘇塞剋斯海岸旁濕地畔的本尼狄剋修道院，去調查Cromwell 另一個部下，Robin Singleton，被人斬首的凶殺案。在此之前，Robin Singleton一直試圖用談判方式重新贏迴修道院的行使主權。Shardlake和他的同伴Mark一起來到瞭修道院，當時氣氛十分緊張，客套的外錶背後隱藏著 冷漠、鬼鬼祟祟的僧侶們。